Lights shine in the darkness.......

........as the Dark One stands on the brick path........before her is the brilliance of hope.......lights upon the tree that touch the sky glow and she feels happiness within her heart for one moment........a moment that longs for so much more........and she thinks of the ones who have come into her life and given her the strength to survive even for just one more hour......or day........and she longs for new love and light........

Silence.........

.........in the darkness.......which path to take........she hears no answers.........but waits again and again......hoping......but for what........more darkness..........where is the light.........the Dark One screams within for the light.........

……..the Dark One feels as though time has taken itself from her……that there is no time left….

….how shall she continue to protect her sacred harbor…..who will continue the constant vigil over her magical place if she must leave once again……forever……her mind races not knowing her path……or where she belongs……her heart says she belongs in her place of peace but her mind takes over and in that moment she feels so much pain……her heart breaks for the thousandth time…….she has fought battles beyond what she thought imaginable…..and survived beasts and demons that she never knew existed……but for what……..still, she stands alone hoping for something…….for someone…….to care for her as she is…….not perfect……but as the loving heart and soul……her heart beats with memories hoping for them to remain forever within her…….and her thoughts wander to that pirate with the sparkling eyes who captured her heart when she first came to this perfect place…..her sadness this night envelopes her in its cloak of darkness and light…..for always they are one…….the Dark One remembers and hopes for all to come together as it is meant…….this night…..and always………

……..as the beasts move against the edge of the forest she feels more demons move toward her trying to sway her path……

……one very loud demon who thinks only of her own self…….and others who push her from her given place…….but she draws her sword and lashes out as they attempt to prey upon her territory………the large demon’s mouth large enough to swallow a king cobra………and the others, just fiends passing through with no care but to their coffers of gold coins made from the unwitting eyes of people blind to their offerings……….”Be Gone”, she says…………and they close their arms closer around their takings and turn……riding off on their sad, neglected ponies……and yet, still, there is the loud demon to deal with………the Dark One draws from her power and a lightning bolt erupts from her sword and the loud Demon cowers at her feet……”Go, before I take your head! Leave this place and do not ever return! You are not welcome here and if you do not go at my bequest, the others shall rip you to pieces…..”……..the loud demon scurries away in the woods and is gone……the Dark One returns her sword to its gilded hilt with stars sparkling on her belt…….she hopes for peace and no more demons but knows that they shall appear as time passes….and she will be ready with heart, soul and love to conquer them……..whatever it shall take to protect her place of peace…………..

Freedom…..it is what she feels as she sits and gazes at the lights dancing upon the soft waves before her…..

........music drifts across the water and she breathes in the serenity and the sweet, warm air....for she is free of the demons...sleep comes to her now without fight...and words swim within her mind waiting for her to unleash them upon paper for all to know....for her dreams will be born and live to be shared with those who choose to be at her side...the search for love no longer holds her prisoner....she knows within her heart that if it is meant...it will happen in its own time...but for now she can be at peace with her own self...yet silently aware of the beasts that may exist upon the fringe of the forest....and is ready to prove herself....to anyone who challenges her...for she will not let her place of peace be preyed upon by the demons of the past that have stalked her for so long.....nor the demons that have existed in her life as she searched for love.....no more....she is a woman in love with life.....and that love within her heart shall bring to her more than she can imagine at this moment....for even now there is hope....if she continues on her path...one so long in coming but one that will be what she has always wished for.........

The final call has gone out and the Dark One waits………

……she stands strong against the demon who has entered her kingdom for what will be its last time…..the Dark One draws her dagger from its hilt and holds it within her hand….ready to take the head from the scourge that has so ravaged her heart….a heart that bears only love…..but this demon must fall and be scattered to the winds……or peace cannot reign……….the dark haired demon with skin of leather moves toward the Dark One with words of hate……..and the Dark One holds the tip of her sword to its neck…….ready to spill its yellow blood upon the ground……for she shall rid her land of this demon scourge if it is the last thing she does in this place she loves with her entire being……..the viper snarls and lashes out with her hands and the Dark One lunges her sword into its neck…..lashing……the demon’s head stares at her from the ground as its body falls at her feet……its eyes stone cold as the pavers beneath…...yellow blood spilling……with no soul within…….a demon life taken to protect the goodness that still exists within the kingdom of the Dark One……and the nightmare is over and done and gone and buried……for all time….the demon is dead…….the Dark One lives on……….and she shall protect her kingdom from all that step upon its grounds with thoughts only of themselves…..they shall be blocked from her sanctuary or their blood shall be spilled and taken by the winds……away…….away………the Dark One rests and breathes in the pure air and wonders when the battle shall be at its end……..when she shall be able to rest without threat of demons…..will it ever be she wonders…….she has grown tired…..and wishes for respite……and hopes for love to come to her soon……so that she will no longer have to fight the battles alone…..she wishes for someone to be at her side……someone as strong as she……..someone who loves her as she is………the Dark One…….the one with a heart filled with love to give and protect…….in the glistening waters of her beloved lake her dagger is freed from demon blood……she returns it to its hilt at her waist……the hilt sparkles in the moonlight as the moon glows among the stars……and she sits upon the marble bench and hopes…….

The Dark One is spent from a day of battle…..

……her face is wet with fallen tears as she stands staring at the glowing moon above…..the evil demon upon her this day has ripped at her very soul……she wonders how this kind can even exist within the world….but knows far too well the darkness that exists……even now it claws at the edges of her sacred space……her sanctuary………peace is threatened more than ever……..but, now, this battle will tell all……..she will not leave…….she will conquer and rule……this demon shall be destroyed and thrown out of her kingdom……it will happen….and she begins to form a plan within her heart to protect all that she loves…..and soon all shall be as she wishes it to be for the good of all…….the final call has gone out…….this demon scourge shall be rendered speechless and be thrown to the wind……the wind shall bring to the Dark One peace once and for all…….and her heart shall heal and peace shall be hers……always and ever more……